1) Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a card-type carrier that features a thin composite transmission interface in which there are metal contacts available to a smart card and a universal serial bus via a composite design and is developed to be a separable and fordable structure which is compatible to interfaces of both the smart card and the universal serial bus.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Internet technologies and portable devices which are known as convenience and speed have significantly progressed in recent years. Among portable devices, the portable data storage device with a data transfer interface and one type of non-volatile memory (for instance, flash memory) integrated has been substantially popularized. On the other hand, a portable device with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) data transfer interface combined which features some advantages such as lightness, portability, and plug-and-play attracts the public's interests.
For example, the multi-functional data storage device (R.O.C. Patent No. M328060 (FIG. 1)) comprises a flat case (60) manufactured to be a business card with an integrated circuit module to which a signal cable (61) and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) Series A male connector (62) of the signal cable (61) are connected. The case (60) comprises a first panel (601) and a second panel (602) wherein the first panel (601) is provided with two grooves connected each other such as a narrow wire groove (603) on its surface and a rectangular connector groove (604) to accommodate a USB Series A male connector (62) and the second panel (602) is printed with verified patterns, characters, or trademarks according to each demand of an enterprise (the government or an individual) for specific matters, advertisements, propaganda or instructions to operate specific matters. As a result, the case similar to a business card for conventional printed advertisements as well as digital data simultaneously combined and expressed makes some specific matters amply and completely displayed.
However, referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B which illustrate a USB Series A male connector (70) as well as a USB Series A female connector (80) (unit: millimeter) wherein the USB Series A male connector (70) has a metal frame (71) with the thickness of 4.5 mm±0.1 mm and a partial thickness space (72) to accommodate a plurality of metal contacts (83) and a carrier (84) of the female connector (80) according to standards of the USB data transfer interface. Then, a thickness space (82) in the female connector (80) between 2.0 and 2.3 mm is used to accommodate a plurality of metal contacts (73) and a carrier (74) of the male connector (70). That is, the distance from the carrier (84) to the outer frame (81) of the female connector (80) is equal to the minimum thickness of the male connector (70).
Accordingly, the thickness of 4.5 mm±0.1 mm for the male connector (70) along with the metal frame (71) under restrictions of standard specifications cannot be thinner and causes a USB Series A male connector not to be thinner or effectively connected to any other products such as credit card, ATM card, personal ID card (thickness between 1.7 and 1.9 mm), general business card (thickness between 0.3 and 0.5 mm) and promotional cardboard (thickness between 1.0 and 2.0 mm) without creation of further purposes despite products based on R.O.C. Patent No. M328060 being available in the market.